Ángel de la sombra
by Altega
Summary: Not everything is content to remain in the dark.


My name is Miranda Hernandez, I wasn't always like I am now.

I was human once.

Just a girl growing up in the backwaters of Agua Fria, New Mexico. Got bored of that and ran around until I found my place. Where I felt like I made the most difference; the Army. Turns out I was pretty good at it, especially my job. I was an MP in the CID, being groomed for a possible Officer Commission.

Cracked my fair share of skulls and traded blows, verbal and physical, with the best of them. I thought nothing could bring me down, I was never more wrong.

My last tour in the desert had me cross paths with someone I wish to hell I could forget. Went by the alias of Jack. Whatever could make him money, he did it. And I had unintentionally kicked the hornet's nest when the investigation I was heading in the 11th had upset more than one of his supply lines.

His investors, were ... displeased to say the least and that of course irked Jack, so he paid me a visit.

We met face to face after the beat down his thugs had given me was done. Well, I say we met face to face, but it was more some high end ballistic mask to face. He rattled off my record like I should have felt violated at his obvious power to know oh so much about me, right down to knowing when I'd be alone on my rounds on base.

I just sucked in enough blood from my bottom lip to spit over the pristine manilla folder in his hands, and the collar of his expensive suit.

I smiled and laughed at his blue eyes as they hardened and he had his dogs spread the gasoline around the covered truck behind us.

He picked me up by the neck and could've squeezed the life out of me but he didn't. His eyes seemed to smile at me before he patted my cheek and strolled away for his goons muttering something about wasted potential. Then he lit a cigarette as they chucked me into the time bomb.

I don't know how I managed but I was able to break the canvas after he tossed in his smoke. I wasn't completely unscathed though, the burns on my back had me discharged from the Army and my future left in shambles. All I could think of as I stood there at the bus depot at home was Jack. God, how much I wanted to get even but I knew I couldn't, not with my injuries.

I'll admit that I sank down. Way down. But like Abuela always told me, there is a purpose out there for you, all you must do is embrace it.

* * *

I was in an alley after being tossed out another bar for starting another bar fight, looking up at the stars wondering what it'd be like to fly up there when I first felt him.

I had heard what had happened in New York. The whole city was abuzz with the black suited Spider-Man when I had first deployed, and how he was close to becoming a vigilante, but then the truth came out. At least to us in CID.

Spidey hadn't lost his mind after all, he just been possessed by a freaking space bug. I dismissed the report as nothing more than frivilous information along with several others and went on about my life.

I had thought the entire thing bogus but as I felt the tarry substance spread up my hand, then under my clothes, the masculine voice in my mind told me what I already knew.

This thing was alive and well and it was trying to control me now. Like I was going to take that sitting on my ass. I fought, HE fought harder. I had to fight to reclaim some of what I used to be to push him away, and then it was over. I still felt him there and he was growing from me. I tried to cut him out, smoke him out, drown him, anything to kill him.

Then I finally resorted to my only fear: Fire.

I was standing on the lip of a firepit and was about to jump in when he said he'd leave. I said I wouldn't believe it until I saw it.

So when it did, I felt my old curiosity perk up. I asked why he let me go like that, and he said quite simply that I was a superb host, but I didn't want it. Curious, and figuring 'why the hell not Alice, you're already down the rabbit hole.' I bent forward and asked what he was talking about. What happened that night put my head on an 360 degree axis. It was as though the universe itself had opened up to me, and him.

Before he could slink off, I had a rare and lucid moment and acted on it. I would agree to be his host and help him, in return he'd do the same. He snorted and told me that was what he wanted to begin with. I merely set my hand down and felt my heart race as he wound back on my hand and we bonded. It wasn't all painless, I screamed at some point and I'm sure he did too. After that infintismal moment, we stood up on shaky legs. Truly bonded as one.

This wasn't what had tried to take Spidey, this was something else. I just took to calling him Havoc, he didn't mind and accepted the name as his own to make.

That was a month ago, now though; we pursue, capture, and destroy all the trails that lead to Jack.

* * *

It was another calm night in Agua Fria, only broken by the occasional coyote howl. However there was one place that wasn't calm at all.

Teresa squirmed with the other girls in the back of the huge truck and flinched as she felt the girl shift next to her. La princesa blanca. The reason she was here and not at home with mama listening to her tell stories. Instead she'd been talked away from her home, her family, and now here she was.

Then they heard the sounds from outside, followed by the screams as the men were attacking something. And the something was winning.

Then she shielded her eyes as the back opened in a single fluid motion and a womanly figure stood in front dressed in black wearing a hoodie that seemed to gleam in the floodlights.

"Salte."

Everyone clambered over themselves to heed her command as if she had some power over them. It was that same voice that caught Teresa as she made it to the edge.

"¿es ella quien te trajo aquí?"

Teresa froze as she looked up into the darkness of that hooded figure, before jerking to her side as La princesa blanca tried to get by her, and was pinned under that hood as well.

"Sí"

She said softly.

Teresa froze as a hand flew towards her and wrapped around La princesa blanca's throat with a speed she didn't think possible.

* * *

"C'mere sweetie you and I are gonna chat a little bit."

I purred dangerously while I brought the redhead to my face, and smiled. It wouldn't have been so off-putting if Havoc hadn't felt the urge to flash all of our steak knife teeth.

'Feeling particularly vicious tonight aren't you my love?'

He purred at my tone that promised something more later, after we dealt with the screaming pile of meat.

'Business first mi alma.'

I chided him sweetly in my mind, as I adjusted my grip on our prey.

"El ángel de la sombra..."

A soft voice spoke up below me. I turned to the small girl still frozen below me, looking up at me with eyes full of fear. I huffed, I was in her place once not too long ago, but never again would I let another fall into that pit.

"Ve a casa, chica, este no es lugar para ti."

* * *

Teresa bolted, looking back only once as she saw the story her mother had told her so much about drag the screaming Princesa into the night by her hair, and that was the last she saw of her.


End file.
